By Rujun Shen
SINGAPORE, March 24 (Reuters) - Gold prices held steady on
Thursday after recent gains as worries over the euro zone debt
crisis and unrest in the Middle East buoyed investors' interest
in bullion.
FUNDAMENTALS
* Spot gold edged up $1.05 to $1,437.25 an ounce by
0036 GMT, after arching to $1,440.90 in the previous session,
just off the record high of $1,444.40 hit on March 7.
* U.S. gold futures were little changed at $1,437.50.
* Spot silver edged down 0.3 percent to $37.24, after
hitting a 31-year high at $37.40 on Wednesday.
* Sentiment in gold was buoyed by record-low U.S. home sales
which could slow the economic recovery and triggered talk that
the central bank might continue easier monetary policy beyond
its $600 billion bond purchase programme.
* Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Socrates resigned after
parliament rejected his government's latest austerity measures,
heightening concerns on the euro zone's sovereign debt problems
and feeding safe-haven demand in bullion.
* The crisis in the Middle East and North Africa deepened as
Palestinian rockets attacked Israel, while fighting in Libya
continues.
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MARKET NEWS
* U.S. stocks advanced on Wednesday as materials shares
rose, but rising commodities prices due to turmoil in the Middle
East and North Africa could keep rallies modest.
* U.S. crude oil held steady on Thursday, after
ending the previous session at a 2-1/2 year high on Middle East
unrest.
* The euro steadied against the dollar on Thursday, holding
well on prospects of an interest rate hike next month and
expectations that European policymakers have the will to resolve
the debt crisis.
DATA/EVENTS (GMT)
0758 France Markit/CDAF Mfg FlashP P Mar 2011
0828 Germany Markit/BME MFG Flash PMI Mar 2011
0858 EZ Markit Mfg flash PMI Mar 2011
1230 U.S. Durable Goods orders Feb 2011
1230 U.S. Unemployment claims Weekly
2330 Japan CPI, core nationwide yy Feb 2011
PRICES
Precious metals prices 0036 GMT
Metal Last Change Pct chg YTD pct chg Volume
Spot Gold 1437.25 1.05 +0.07 1.25
Spot Silver 37.24 -0.12 -0.32 20.67
Spot Platinum 1749.24 -2.57 -0.15 -1.03
Spot Palladium 745.22 -0.47 -0.06 -6.79
TOCOM Gold 3746.00 24.00 +0.64 0.46 19173
TOCOM Platinum 4581.00 37.00 +0.81 -2.45 4426
TOCOM Silver 96.70 2.70 +2.87 19.38 778
TOCOM Palladium 1953.00 26.00 +1.35 -6.87 90
COMEX GOLD APR1 1437.50 -0.50 -0.03 1.13 2413
COMEX SILVER MAY1 37.26 0.06 +0.17 20.43 1046
Euro/Dollar 1.4107
Dollar/Yen 80.86
TOCOM prices in yen per gram. Spot prices in $ per ounce.
COMEX gold and silver contracts show the most active months
(Reporting By Rujun Shen; Editing by Jo Winterbottom)
Reuters
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